Mechanical massage device



July 30, 1940. w SHERON 2,209,852

vMECHAIIICALI MESSAGE DEVICE Filed March 3, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Geo/ a W. 40m

am $29M, 5724" megs y 1940- e. w. SHERON 2.209.852

MECHANICAL MESSAGE DEVICE Filedlarch. 3, 1939 2 Shqets-Sheet 2 Inventor- A iiorneys a Patented July 30, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,209,852 MECHANICAL MASSAGE DEVICE George Sheron, Topeka, Kans.

Application March 3,

3 Claims.

This invention is a device or machine for use in aiding in the restoration of health and/or the reducing of a patients weight; the invention embodying a rockably mounted cradle and means for rocking or vibrating the cradle.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of. the machine.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View therethrough.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail View partly in section and partly in elevation illustrating certain details hereinafter more fully referred to.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a flywheel and eccentric assembly.

Referring more in detail to the drawings it will be seen that the machine comprises a suitable frame 5 supported by legs I. The legs 1 are braced through the medium of longitudinal and transverse brace bars 8 and 9 respectively.

Adjacent the upper portions thereof the legs 1 are connected in pair through the medium of transverse bars l8.

Mounted on the support is a cradle H.

The cradle ll comprises side bars or rails 12 and a plurality of longitudinally spaced substantially U-shaped cross-bars or arms l3.

The cross-bars or arms l3 are connected together through the medium of a longitudinal shaft I4 being integral with or otherwise permanently secured to the shaft M.

The shaft I4 is journaled in bearings mounted therefor on the cross-bars l0.

Supported at the lower corner of the frame or supporting structure 5 through the medium of right-angularly related brace bars 8 and 9 is a platform IS on which is mounted an electric motor [1.

A standard 18 has a base portion l9 suitably mounted to rock relative to the shaft 20 of the motor as an axis. and on the upper end thereof the standard I8 is provided with a bearing 2| in which is mounted one end of an eccentric shaft 22. Also mounted on the shaft 22 is a grooved flywheel 23 and drive from the motor shaft 20 is transmitted to the shaft 22 through the medium of a belt 24 trained over a pulley 25 on the motor shaft 20 and over the flywheel 23.

Fixedly mounted on one of the cross-bars or arms l3 of the cradle II is a tubular member 26 which receives the offset end of the eccentric 1939, Serial No. 259,643

shaft 22, which end of the shaft is equipped with a ball 2'! of suitable material working within the tubular member 26; the latter being slotted as at 21 to accommodate the shaft 22. It will thus be seen that as shaft 22 rotates shaft M of the cradle II will be rocked in the bearings l5.

For manually swinging the standard I8 to the desired position of adjustment for controlling the stroke or throw of the cradle, there is pivoted to the standard I8, a link 28 which in turn is pivoted to an end 29 of a suitable shaped handle 30. Handle 3|] is pivoted adjacent the end 29 thereof as at 3| to a suitable bracket 32 mounted on one of the corner legs I of the supporting structure 5. Obviously by adjusting the handle 38 movement will be transmitted to the standard l8 for changing the position of the standard l8 relative to the perpendicular and stroke of the cradle II, the handle simply being held in the position to which it has been adjusted by the operator.

A suitable canvas sheet or the like will be supported by the rails of the frame 5 as suggested by broken line in Figure 3 and indicated by the reference numeral 34 to provide a bed for the patient. Any desired number of belts or straps can be connected with the side bars l2 of the cradle, as shown at 33 in dotted lines in Figure 2 and these straps are engaged with desired portions of. the body of the patient lying on the sheet 34 so that as the cradle is rocked back and forth the straps are brought into vibrating contact with said portions of the body of the patient.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utility, operation and advantages of an invention of this character will be had without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a supporting structure providing a bed for a. patient, a cradle rockably mounted on said supporting structure and adapted to support transversely disposed belts for vibrating contact with a patient reclining on said supporting structure, and means for rocking said cradle back and forth, and laterally to said supporting structure, said means including a prime mover mounted on the supporting structure, a pivotally supported standard, an eccentric shaft journaled on said standard, means on said cradle engaged by said eccentric shaft for transmitting rotative movement of said shaft to the cradle for rocking the latter and a driving connection between said prime mover and said eccentric shaft, and manually operable means mounted on said supporting structure and connected with said pivoted standard for adjusting the latter in either of two directions relative to the perpendicular for controlling the throw of the cradle.

2. A device of the class described comprising an upright frame, means for supporting the body of a patient at the top of. the frame, a centrally and longitudinally arranged shaft supported for rocking movement in the frame below the top thereof, upwardly and outwardly curved arms connected with the shaft and extending beyond the top portions of the sides of. the frame, lon gitudinally extending bars connected with the outer ends of said arms, said arms and the longitudinally extending bars forming a cradle and said longitudinally extending bars adapted to have one or more straps placed thereon to extend across the body of the patient and motor driven means for rocking the shaft to vibrate the cradle and the straps thereon.

3. A device of the class described comprising an upright frame, means for supporting the body of a patient at the top of the frame, a centrally and longitudinally arranged shaft supported for rocking movement in the frame below the top thereof, upwardly and outwardly curved arms connected with the shaft and extending beyond the top portions of the sides of the frame, longitudinally extending bars connected with the outer ends of saidarms, said. arms .and the longitudinally extending bars forming a cradle and said longitudinally extending bars adapted. to have one or more straps placed thereon to extend across the body of the patient and motor driven means for rocking the shaft to vibrate the cradle and the straps thereon, and means for adjusting the amount of rocking movement imparted to the shaft by said motor driven means.

GEORGE W. SHERON. 

